Kenya Sevens coach Kevin Wambua believes there is room for improvement despite his charges sealing an automatic slot to next year's Paris Olympics.
The Mwamba tactician said with the Safari Sevens and Challenger Series on the horizon, they will embark on fine-tuning some of their tactics.
“Yes, delighted with the victory but there are a couple of areas we have to improve. Our skillset, must be better since the teams we will face in the short term are going to be tough but generally, the team is headed in the right direction,” said Wambua.
The former Kenya Lionesses and Laiser Hill coach admitted they will have more training camps to improve their skill set.
“One of the reasons our performance was exemplary was the training we undertook. As a coach, my philosophy is on skill and attacking space. If you can improve in that regard, even when you are under pressure, you can execute the basic skills very well,” said Wambua.
He observed competition for places will be intense heading into their upcoming tournaments.
"It's healthy for the squad and the players are on their toes. Guys like Dennis Abukuse and Brian Wahinya and others are still part of our plans and we will see how they train with us,” said Wambua.
He said the journey to qualification for the Challenger Series is on and will be the next target as Shujaa seek to reclaim World Rugby Series core status next season.
"Step one of the mission has been accomplished and the players are determined and hungry to do the country proud as we embark on the Challenger Series in the new year,” observed Wambua.
Co-captain Vincent Onyala said the squad played with no fear and had nothing to lose in the Olympic qualifiers.
“We are hugely elated as a team. For most of the boys, they were telling me, they had never even been to a quarterfinal. Now we are back home with medals on our necks. This has really motivated us to go for more,” said Onyala.
Onyala dedicated their triumph to rookie Patrick Odongo, who lost his mother on Saturday.
Odongo is one of the six new faces in the team alongside...
“Playing while he had lost his mum was a testament to his mental resilience. He has a big heart and we stand with him," observed Onyala.
Odongo was the top scorer for Shujaa with Seven tries, alongside John Okoth.
The team will embark on a 10-day break before resuming training for Safari Sevens in early October.
